A Blossoming Bud
by MussTariaz
Summary: What would Zuko do when he found out his daughter has an eye on someone?


"What are those black lines on her eyelids? And her cheeks! They look redder than usual!" Zuko eyes her suspiciously. Feeling that somebody's gaze is glued on her, she sets down her chopsticks. "Dad, why are you staring at me?"

Everyone diverts their attention to Zuko and he nearly chokes on his food upon the confrontation. Clearing his throat, he answers "What are those black lines on your eyelids? And your cheeks seem to be redder than usual!"

Her cheeks turn the color of a ripe tomato upon hearing Zuko's exclamation. Her thick eyebrows that are very similar to his own furrow as she averts her gaze away and lets out a scowl "What lines? It's probably my upper eyelashes that you're seeing."

A small smile, almost a smirk, reaches Katara's lips after seeing her reaction. Lu Ten, who is sitting next to his twin sister, chimes in "Dad, have you seriously never heard of make up? Girls wear them when they're in loooove..." He raises an eyebrow and a playful smirk forms on his face as he turns to face her.

"You're just making things up." She replies, trying to keep her voice sound indifferent despite her quickening heart beat.

"Come on, don't lie! I saw you the other days ago staring at –"

Before he could finish, Kya snaps "I wasn't staring at anyone!" She swears if he speaks any further, she will send a fire whip his way. Zuko's eyes narrows as he observes Kya's reactions. Having been a teenager once as well as knowing that Kya is the replica of his personality; he knows very well what her reactions mean.

"If you two are going to quarrel, then do it somewhere else. I've heard enough quarrels today already." Katara's stern voice clouds her intention to save Kya from her teenage misery. She then turns to Zuko "Also, I remember you said you have a meeting with the representatives of the Earth Kingdom at the hour of the turtle-duck." She pauses to look at the sky that is visible from the dining hall. "I think you better hurry."

He looks up at the sky to confirm her words "Oh Agni, you're right! I was too busy enjoying my food." He hastily sets his eating utensils down and presses his lips against Katara's before leaving his seat. He makes his way to where the twins are seated and strokes their heads before leaving the dining hall. He used to give them a kiss before he would go somewhere but he figures they're too old and too embarrassed for that now.

Amidst all of that, Kya silently thanks Agni and her mother's nagging for saving her from that temporary hell.

The moon hangs high on the clear sky. The orchestra of the crickets and frog-owls are the only sounds that disturb the peaceful night. Night is already deep but Zuko finds himself staring into the ceiling, wide eyed. _I saw you the other days ago staring at... _Lu Ten's statement and the way Kya reacted to that during dinner time have been occupying his mind. The thoughts occupy his mind so much that his heart doesn't even make a leap when the sleeping waterbender next to him snuggles into him. His deep sigh wakes her up. Although the room is poorly lit, she can still see that his eyes are still open. "Can't sleep?" Her drowsy voice pulls him out of his thoughts.

He lets out another sigh and looks down. "Why was Kya acting so strange earlier?"

She chuckles "Is that why you're still awake at this hour, Sir Mighty Fire Lord?" she closes her eyes. "Do you really not know why? She's fifteen, it's bound to happen at around that age!"

He opens his mouth to protest but decides against it. Instead, he says "But who was Lu Ten talking about? What if he was some brat who speaks with violence and – "

"I didn't know you could be such a worry wart!" Katara interrupts him with another chuckle. "You know how Kya doesn't trust people easily. And if you're worried that some brat will try to hurt her, that would be one of the last things you should be worried about! She's a firebending prodigy who knows how to swing two swords at the same time, just like you when you were about that age." Her voice is filled with awe upon saying the last sentence.

He lets her words sink in and a blush creeps up his cheeks. "I guess you're right."

"Well then you better get some sleep!" She kisses his porcelain skin as her arm snakes around his lean waist.

"I guess you're right about that as well."

His long strides, accompanied by furrowed eyebrows and a deep frown marring his handsome face are telling the guards marching behind him that it's one of those days again: the days when the ministers are flirting with his temper using whatever it was that they did or said during the council meeting. Those people are lucky that their Lord has learned to control his temper over the past few years. A journal wrapped in leather that lies on the ground holds his angry steps. He picks it up and curiosity leads him to untie the blood red ribbon that protects the contents from unwelcomed readers (that would be him right now). His eyes meet with a familiar handwriting. After successfully opening the journal, he craves for more content and the words written on the tenth page freeze his fingers over:

_Oh he is so very kind. The other days ago I fell on the corridor and he puts down the stack of books he had in his arms just to help me up. I know he is not only being nice because he knows of my heritage because I've seen him defended a servant who was being picked on by a noblewoman who was visiting the palace. When I had the chance to chat with him, it turned out that he has a good sense of humour and oh Agni he is incredible at telling stories! Every word that came out of his mouth was interesting. Too bad mom came to take me to the training ground to teach me a new waterbending move. _

Zuko could hear her scowl in his mind when he reads the last sentence.

_He is handsome too._

Now his eyes are narrowing.

_His dark brown eyes shimmer in the sunlight and they hold such an intense gaze. His smile is the warmest smile that I've ever seen. Well, after my dad's smile, that is._

He raises his eyebrow. He didn't know she had that thought and he could feel a blush rushing towards his cheeks, which he shakes away through clearing his throat.

_Oh Agni, can he be more perfect?!_

_I saw you the other days ago staring at . . . _Lu Ten's statement immediately buzzes in his mind. Now he just needs to find out who she is talking about. But his intention is soon disturbed by the sound of someone clearing their throat. He looks to the side and nearly jumps in surprise at the presence of his wife who is raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms over her chest. "What are you reading?"

He closes the journal at the speed of light and hides it in the long sleeve of his royal robe, although he knows that it's all too late now. "Umm . . . my mother's journal. I found it on the floor. "

"Right." Katara says as she tilts her head slightly to the side. "Now why would your mother's journal be here when she's all the way in Ba Sing Se?" She taps one finger on her arm, demanding an answer.

Zuko curses inwardly, unable to meet her gaze "It's Kya's." He averts his gaze back to Katara "But trust me, I didn't sneak into her room and rummage through her personal belongings to find this! I found it on the floor just now!" He is expecting to see a frown appear on her face but instead, an amused smile lights up her face.

"Fine, I'll trust you on that." She smiles in amusement. "But I hope you won't send spies to watch every single teenage boy in this nation now that you've read her journal." Katara teases and Zuko averts his gaze slightly, as if he was caught red-handed for intending to do what Katara has just said. "Remember what I said last night. And whoever this youngster is, I'm sure he has a good heart. You know she doesn't trust people easily."

Having just read half of the content of Kya's journal, Katara's words manage to convince him. He lets out a soft sigh "I guess you're right."

She leans closer to kiss him then she says with a smirk "I'm always right." Zuko rolls his eyes in response. "Well, you better put that back in her room before she comes back from her lessons!"

"I know you're definitely right about that!" With swift steps, he heads towards his daughter's bedchamber. Katara's gaze is glued on his disappearing figure and the amused smile she'd pulled up earlier returns. Zuko, the Fire Lord and one of the most powerful men in the world who had flirted with death several times in his life, is nervous about his daughter being in love.


End file.
